1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle rear view mirror system, and more particularly to motorized rear view mirror apparatus and method. Although the system is useful for all types of vehicles, it is particularly suited for large trucks and busses, and is described in that connection.
2. Description of Related Art
Trucks and busses are being made longer and longer, which presents problems associated with visibility, particularly rear view visibility along both the right and left side of the bus or truck body. As the body becomes longer, the field of view along opposite sides of the truck or bus body becomes more narrow.
At the same time highways are being built with a greater number of lanes, with the result that the percentage of the roadway width, or in other words, the percentage of the total number of lanes of the highway that can be viewed with a rear view mirror is becoming less.
It is commonplace, for example, to provide power operated mirrors, where the view is changed by adjusting the position of the mirror relative to the driver. This is typically accomplished by trial and error; and usually implemented before a driver gets underway, or when stopped at a stop sign or red light. It would seem that the area of visibility of the operator could be greatly improved by moving the mirror. However, to view an area while it is changing, at times is confusing to the driver, even to the extent that the panning can sometimes cause an accident rather than prevent one.
Various other solutions have been proposed for increasing the visibility of the roadway both directly behind the truck or bus and along opposite sides, such as altering the contour of the rear view mirrors to control the area or magnification; or by the use of periscope type devices, or television cameras placed at strategic locations on the truck with monitors located in the cab. All of these proposed solutions either leave much to be desired in the area of equipment reliability, or are prohibitively expensive. Without this sophisticated equipment, one of the most dangerous maneuvers in driving busses and trucks is changing lanes on a multilane highway.
In light of the foregoing there is a need for a rear view apparatus and method for trucks and busses that reassure drivers of the ability to change lanes in multilane highways without danger of colliding with other vehicles.